Display mount assembly

ABSTRACT

A device for wall mounting television or another display includes a wall mounting portion, a display mounting portion, and an extending/contracting portion. The extending/contracting portion includes a lower arm, an upper arm, a front bracket, a wall mounting bracket, one or more gas springs, and a linear actuator. The one or more gas springs and the linear actuator are arranged selectively to retract and extend the display mounting portion. The lower arm includes protrusions for automatically straightening a display attached to the display mounting portion. The display mounting portion and the extending/contracting portion together include a mechanism for automatically adjusting azimuth of the display mounting portion to a pre-set position when the display mounting portion is lowered into a viewing position. The mechanism for automatically adjusting azimuth may include a set screw and a biasing spring.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/375,835, entitled DISPLAY MOUNT ASSEMBLY, filed on Apr. 4, 2019, andclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/655,805,entitled DISPLAY MOUNT ASSEMBLY, filed on Apr. 10, 2018, all of whichare hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties as if fully setforth herein, including the Specifications, Figures, Claims, and allother matter.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This document generally relates to the field of retractable/extendablemounts for appliances. More particularly, this document relates toretractable wall mounts for displays such as television sets (TVs).

BACKGROUND

A good mounting place for a large flat screen display (such as a TV) isoften high on a wall, for example, above a fireplace. Such mountinglocation may make it necessary or desirable to lower the display forwatching from a convenient location in a room. In the course of loweringthe TV, it may need to clear an obstacle, for example, a fireplacemantel below the mounting location. The force for lowering and raisingthe TV may be provided, for example, manually, by gas springs, and bylinear actuators.

Typically, when the TV is raised, it should be flat or substantiallyflat against the wall, so that it will not protrude and become anobstacle and so that one of its sides will not crash into the wall andcause damage to the appliance itself and/or the wall. At the same time,it is desirable to allow convenient watching of the TV from some angle,that is, for watching positions that are not necessarily right in frontof the wall mount. Towards this end, a swiveling mechanism may beincluded to provide for right-left swiveling with respect to the TV'svertical axis. Borrowing from aeronautics (Tait-Bryan angles) andanalogizing the TV to an aircraft with its nose pointing in thedirection normal to the screen and pointing in the viewer's direction,the swiveling would provide yaw or heading adjustment; we canalternatively call one of the angles that the axis normal to screenwould form with an axis normal to the wall (and at the same verticallevel as the axis normal to the screen) an “azimuth,” “azimuth angle.”“swivel position,” or “swivel angle.”

As has already been mentioned, the TV may be flat or substantially flat(not noticeably different from flat) against the wall in the retractedposition, and possibly at some azimuth angle when extended for viewing.But for better viewing from the retracted position, the TV may be angledslightly forward. It is generally preferable, however, for the TV to beretracted so that the azimuth is close to zero, thereby preventing oneside (left or right) from crashing into the wall on which the TVmounting assembly is mounted.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,864,092 (the “'092 patent”), Brian Newville inventor, isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety, including claims andall other matter. The '092 patent describes an “auto-straightening”mechanism with lower arm perpendicular protrusions that automaticallystraighten a TV as the wall mount retracts the TV towards the mountingwall. When a user manually pulls the TV on the mount with theauto-straightening mechanism, the user can manually adjust the swivelfor the desired azimuth, for convenient viewing angle. This isinconvenient. If the retraction/extension function of the wall mount isautomated (power-assisted) and remote-controlled, the user may stillneed to adjust the swivel after the wall mount extends the display or TVfrom the wall into the viewing position. This is also inconvenient.

SUMMARY

A need in the art exists for new and better techniques for mountingvarious devices, including displays and TVs. A need in the art existsfor more convenient manual and power-assisted wall mounts for displaysand TVs. A need in the art exists for manual and power-assisted wallmounts that do not require the user to adjust the azimuth from thestraightforward or random direction, after each extension.

Embodiments, variants, and examples described in this document aredirected to apparatus and methods that may satisfy one or more of theabove described needs and/or other needs.

In an embodiment, a mounting device includes a wall mounting portion, adisplay mounting portion, and an extending/contracting portion. Theextending/contracting portion includes a lower arm, an upper arm, afront bracket, a wall mounting bracket, one or more gas springs, and alinear actuator. The one or more gas springs and the linear actuator arearranged selectively to retract and extend the display mounting portion.The lower arm includes protrusions for automatically straightening adisplay attached to the display mounting portion. The display mountingportion and the extending/contracting portion together include amechanism for automatically adjusting azimuth of the display mountingportion to a pre-set position when the display mounting portion islowered into a viewing position. The mechanism for automaticallyadjusting azimuth may include a set screw and a biasing spring.

In an embodiment, a mounting device includes a wall mounting portionconfigured to be attached to a wall; a display mounting portion; and anextending/contracting portion between the wall mounting portion and thedisplay mounting portion. The display mounting portion is configured toreceive and support a display so that the display faces away from thewall. The extending/contracting portion is configured to allow thedisplay mounting portion to move up and towards the wall, and down andaway from the wall. The display mounting portion is attached to theextending/contracting portion so that the display mounting portion canswivel horizontally. The extending/contracting portion includes anadjustably-extending component setting a predetermined azimuth of thedisplay mounting portion and a biasing component configured to bias thedisplay mounting portion against the adjustably-extending component atthe predetermined azimuth. The adjustably-extending component and thebiasing component automatically set the display mounting portion to apredetermined azimuth in response to the display mounting portion beinglowered and moved away from the wall, and allow the display mountingportion to move towards a position parallel to the wall when the displaymounting portion is raised and moved towards the wall.

In aspects, the extending/contracting portion includes a front mountingbracket that does not swivel with the display mounting portion, thefront mounting bracket includes a first surface having portions defininga first hole on a first side off center of the first surface, themounting device further includes a vertical center rod that attaches thedisplay mounting portion to the front mounting bracket so that thedisplay mounting portion can swivel horizontally, and theadjustably-extending component extends through the first hole so thatthe adjustably-extending component can be adjusted to protrude throughthe first hole away from the wall at variable length that sets thepredetermined azimuth.

In aspects, the adjustably-extending component is a set screw and one ormore nuts. The variable length of the adjustably-extending componentprotruding through the first hole can be adjusted by turning the setscrew and the one or more nuts relative to each other, thereby adjustingthe predetermined azimuth.

In aspects, the mounting device also includes a plurality of pegs withdifferent lengths. Each of the pegs of the plurality of pegs isinsertable into and fixable in the first hole, wherein theadjustably-extending component comprises a selected peg of the pluralityof pegs inserted into the first hole and fixed into the first hole. Inthis way, the variable length of the adjustably-extending componentprotruding through the first hole can be adjusted by the user/installerselecting the selected peg, thereby adjusting the predetermined azimuth.

In aspects, the portions defining the first hole have a female thread,and the adjustably-extending component includes a set screw with a malethread matching the female thread of the first hole, so that thevariable length of the adjustably-extending component protruding throughthe first hole can be adjusted by turning the set screw, therebyadjusting the predetermined azimuth.

In aspects, the biasing component is an elastic band having a first endattached to the front mounting bracket on the first side and a secondend attached to the display mounting portion on the first side, theelastic band being in extended state to bias the display mountingportion to swivel to the first side.

In aspects, the biasing component includes a spring having a first endattached to the front mounting bracket on the first side and a secondend attached to the display mounting portion on the first side, thespring being in extended state to bias the display mounting portion toswivel to the first side.

In aspects, the spring is a coil spring operating in tension mode.

In aspects, the spring is a leaf spring.

In aspects, the spring is a volute spring.

In aspects, the spring is a V-spring.

In aspects, the spring is a torsion spring.

In aspects, the spring is a gas spring.

In aspects, the first surface also has a female-threaded hole off centeron a second side of the first surface, the second side beinghorizontally opposite to the first side.

In aspects, the extending/contracting portion also includes: a lower armwith a first lower arm end and a second lower arm end; an upper arm witha first upper arm end and a second upper arm end; a wall mountingbracket rigidly attached to the wall mounting portion; a gas spring tosupport the display mounting portion, the gas spring having a first gasspring end and a second gas spring end; and a linear actuator with afirst actuator end and a second actuator end. The gas spring and thelinear actuator are arranged to retract and extend the display mountingportion selectively. The lower arm has protrusions to automaticallystraighten the display mounting portion when the extending/contractingportion contracts to lower the display mounting portion.

In aspects, the extending/contracting portion also includes a pluralityof attachment axles. The upper arm is attached to the wall mountingportion at the first upper arm end with at least a first attachment axleof the plurality of attachment axles to allow the upper arm to rotatearound the first attachment axle when the display mounting portion israised and lowered. The lower arm is attached to the wall mountingportion at the first lower arm end with at least a second attachmentaxle of the plurality of attachment axles to allow the lower arm torotate around the first attachment axle when the display mountingportion is raised and lowered. The upper arm is attached at the secondupper arm end to the front mounting bracket with at least a thirdattachment axle of the plurality of attachment axles to allow the upperarm to rotate around the third attachment axle when the display mountingportion is raised and lowered. And the lower arm is attached at thesecond lower arm end to the front mounting bracket with at least afourth attachment axle of the plurality of attachment axles to allow thelower arm to rotate around the fourth attachment axle when the displaymounting portion is raised and lowered.

In aspects, the first actuator end is attached to the wall mountingportion at a first attachment point, and to the display mounting portionat a second attachment point; the linear actuator can rotate around thefirst attachment point and rotate around the second attachment pointwhen the display mounting portion is raised and lowered; the first gasspring end is attached to the wall mounting portion at a thirdattachment point, and to the display mounting portion at a fourthattachment point; and the gas spring can rotate around the thirdattachment point and rotate around the fourth attachment point when thedisplay mounting portion is raised and lowered.

In aspects, the embodiment also includes a remote control receiverconfigured to receive signals from a remote control unit and operate thelinear actuator in response to the signals.

In aspects, the embodiment also includes the remote control unit, andthe remote control receiver and the remote control unit operate usingsignals selected from the group consisting of radio frequency signals,infrared signals, and ultrasound signals.

These and other features and aspects of selected embodiments, variants,and examples consistent with the present disclosure will be betterunderstood with reference to the following description, drawings, andappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a left-side perspective view illustrating selected componentsof a wall mount assembly for displays;

FIG. 2 is a partial right-side perspective view illustrating selectedcomponents of the wall mount assembly of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a top view of the wall mount assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 withthe display in a center position and in a right swivel position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will be made in detail to one or more embodiments that areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, their features, andalternative embodiments. Same reference numerals are used in thedrawings and the description to refer to the same apparatus elements andmethod steps (if applicable). The drawings are in simplified form, notnecessarily to scale, and omit apparatus and articles of manufactureelements and method steps that can be added to the describedapparatuses, articles of manufacture, and methods, while includingcertain optional elements and steps. For purposes of convenience andclarity, directional terms, such as top, bottom, left, right, up, down,over, above, below, beneath, rear, and front, may be used with respectto the accompanying drawings. These and similar directional terms shouldnot be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. Thereference to “right” and “left” in describing the drawings are generallyintended to refer to, respectively, the right side and left side of auser standing in front of the TV and facing the TV, in a viewingposition. The description of each Figure should be interpreted inconjunction with the Figure itself and with the other related Figures.

The words such as “connect,” “couple,” “attach,” and similar terms withtheir inflections do not necessarily denote direct and immediateconnections/attachments; they include within their meaningdirect/immediate connections, couplings, and attachments; and alsoconnections, couplings, attachments using intermediate elements ordevices. This applies to electrical/electronic and mechanical items.

The words “embodiment,” “variant,” “example,” and similar words andexpressions as used herein refer to a particular apparatus, process, orarticle of manufacture, and not necessarily to the same apparatus,process, or article of manufacture. Thus, “one embodiment” (or a similarexpression) used in one place or context may refer to a particularapparatus, process, or article of manufacture; the same or a similarexpression in a different place or context may refer to a differentapparatus, process, or article of manufacture. The expression“alternative embodiment” and similar words and phrases are used toindicate one of a number of different possible embodiments, variants, orexamples. The number of possible embodiments, variants, or examples isnot necessarily limited to two or any other quantity. Characterizationof an item as “exemplary” means that the item is used as an example.Such characterization does not necessarily mean that the embodiment,variant, or example is a preferred one; the embodiment, variant, orexample may but need not be a currently preferred embodiment, variant,or example. All embodiments, variants, and examples are described forillustration purposes and do not necessarily strictly limit theinvention(s) disclosed.

Some definitions have been explicitly provided above. Other and furtherexplicit and implicit definitions and clarifications of definitions maybe found throughout this document.

FIG. 1 is a left-side perspective view illustrating selected componentsof a wall mount assembly 100. The wall mount assembly 100 includes threemajor sets of components: a wall mounting portion 120, which is attachedto a wall above a fireplace 115; a display mounting portion 130 with aTV 110 mounted on its front; and an extending/contracting portion 140between the wall mounting portion 120 and the display mounting portion130. The extending/contracting portion 140 is shown in the extendedconfiguration, with the TV 110 away from the wall. Theextending/contracting portion 140 may lower the TV 110 further, andraise it above the fireplace, to be close to the wall (flat orsubstantially flat with the wall, possibly slightly angling forward). Asshown in FIG. 1, the TV 110 is swiveled somewhat to the right.

The extending/retracting portion 140 includes an upper arm 142, a lowerarm 144, a wall mounting bracket 156, a front bracket 154, gas(pneumatic) springs 146 on the left and 148 on the right, and a linearactuator 150. Note that the lower arm 144 includes a protrusion 152A onthe right; a similar protrusion 152B exists on the opposite side of thelower arm 144, as will be shown in other Figure(s) described below.

The upper arm 142 and the lower arm 144 are attached to the wallmounting bracket 156 with rear axles 141A and 141B, respectively, andcan rotate relative to the wall mounting bracket 156 about theirrespective axles, within limited ranges. The rotation ranges aresufficient to lower the TV 110 into various positions and raise the TV110 to the wall, above the wall mounting portion 120. The lower end ofthe ranges may be adjustable, for examples, by moving the bolt/nutcombinations 151 in the slots on each side of the wall mounting bracket156. The rear axles 141A/141B may be, for example, rods or bolts cappedwith nuts on their ends. There may be one such axle of attachment perone of the arms 141 or 142, meaning that the axle goes through itsrespective arm from one side to the other and providessupport/attachment on both sides (right and left) of the respective arm;there may also be two such rear axles per one of the respective arms 141or 142, meaning that the rear axle goes through only one side of itsrespective arm 141 or 142 and provides support only on one side (left orright). In embodiments, one of the arms 141/142 is attached to the wallmounting bracket 156 with a single rear axle, while the other arm142/141 is attached to the wall mounting bracket 156 with two shorterrear axles, one per side. The wall mounting bracket 156 may be attachedto the wall mounting portion 120 with various means, for example,screws, nuts, or welds.

The upper arm 142 and the lower arm 144 are also attached to the frontbracket 154 with axles 161A and 161B, respectively, and can rotaterelative to the front bracket 154 about their respective axles. Thisarrangement and its variants may be analogous to the attachment of thearms 141/142 to the wall mounting bracket 156.

The gas springs 146/148 and the linear actuator 150 are attached to thewall mounting bracket 156 on one end. For example, the gas springs146/148 may be attached to the wall mounting bracket 156 directly orwith a spring block, which may be adjustable in the vertical dimension(with a calibration screw, for example) for varying the force providedby the gas springs 146/148 and accommodating displays of varying weight.The linear actuator 150 may be attached to the wall mounting bracket 156directly or with an actuator block that allows some adjustment. On theother end, proximate the front bracket 154, the gas springs 146/148 andthe linear actuator 150 are attached to the upper arm 142.

A rod 158 capped on the upper and lower ends attaches the displaymounting portion 130 to the front bracket 154, allowing the displaymounting portion 130 and the TV 110 attached to it to swivel right-left.The Figures show a single vertical rod 158. Two or more concentricvertical rods can be used in its place; for example, the displaymounting portion 130 may be attached to the front bracket 154 with twoshorter vertical concentric rods with a vertical space in-between them,to allow the display mounting portion 130 to swivel right-left. One ofthe two shorter vertical concentric rods may be towards the bottom ofthe display mounting portion 130, the other towards the top. There maybe more than two such vertical concentric rods, for example, three,four, or even more. Note also that the rod (or rods, as the case may be)is/are vertical when the display mounting portion 130 and the TV 110point horizontally and are not angled/tilted low or high. (In thepresent context, the display mounting portion 130 and the TV 110 “point”in the direction normal to the screen of the TV 110, away from thewall.) Thus, the rod(s) may not be exactly vertical at all times, thoughit/they may be vertical or substantially vertical when the displaymounting portion 130 and the TV 110 are retracted and pulled flatagainst the wall.

In the fully-retracted position, the weight of the TV 110 (or anotherdisplay in its place) is supported entirely or partially by the gassprings 146/148, and the wall mount assembly 100 may thus remain in thisposition without application of additional forces. To extend/lower theTV 110, the linear actuator 150 is activated to cause it to shorten andthereby pull the TV 110 down and away from the wall, as the upper arm142 and the lower arm 144 rotate about their respective axles 141A and141B; from the extended position, lengthening of the actuator 150 pushesthe TV 110 up and nearer the wall. Note that the linear actuator 150 ismounted on the wall mounting bracket 156 lower than the gas springs146/148. The geometry of the wall mount assembly 100 is, therefore, suchthat the shortening of the linear actuator 150 causes the TV 110 toextend from the wall and be lowered; and vice versa, the lengthening ofthe linear actuator 150 raises the TV 110 and moves it closer to thewall.

FIG. 2 is a partial right-side perspective view illustrating selectedcomponents of the wall mount assembly 100. The protrusion 152B on thisside of the lower arm 144 (mentioned earlier) is visible in the Figure.

Note the set screw 162 that protrudes forward (away from the wall,toward the user/viewer) from the front bracket 154. The set screw 162 isuser- and/or installer-adjustable, allowing for varying the length itprotrudes forward from the front bracket 154. It is located off the(vertical) centerline of the front bracket 154, to the right side, sothat it prevents the TV from swiveling to the right beyond the pointwhere the protruding end of the set screw 162 makes contact with theswiveling display mounting portion 130, thus limiting the swivelingangle of the TV to the right. As the name implies, the set screw 162 mayhave a thread, and the hole in the front bracket through which the setscrew 162 protrudes may have a matching thread. In embodiments, the holediameter may be about the same as or somewhat larger than the diameterof the shaft of the set screw, and a nut with a matching thread or asimilar device may be attached to one side of the front bracketconcentric with the hole, to allow the set screw to protrude through thenut and the hole, and to allow the protruding portion of the set screwto be adjusted by rotating the set screw in the hole/nut; in suchembodiments, the nut may be considered to be part of the front bracket.Such arrangement can be seen in FIG. 3, described below.

Other techniques of adjusting the length of the protruding portion maybe used as well. In some embodiments, the wall mount assembly 100 maycome with multiple pegs of various lengths; the pegs are insertable intothe hole in the front bracket 154 and fixed therein, by the user and/orinstaller, thereby selecting the length of the protruding portion anddetermining the azimuth of the display mounting portion 130 and the TV110 when the extending/contracting portion 140 is extended. In someembodiments, nuts on the opposite end of a set screw or a threaded rod(similar to a screw but possibly without a screw cap) may be used by theuse/installer to select the length of the protruding portion and therebydetermine the azimuth of the display mounting portion 130 and the TV 110when the extending/contracting portion 140 is extended.

Note also a biasing spring 164 that is attached to the swiveling displaymounting portion 130 on its right side and to the non-swiveling frontbracket 154. The attachment means shown in the Figure are small posts180A and 180B protruding, respectively, from the display mountingportion 130 and the front bracket 154, each of the posts having a smallhole; other attachment means are contemplated, such as holes madedirectly in the display mounting portion 130 and the front bracket 154,hooks or screws on the 130/154, welding points, and others.

The arrow above the spring 164 indicates that the spring 164 isextended, pulling the right side of the display mounting portion 130 andbiasing it to swivel to the right until it contacts and is stopped bythe set screw 162. In operation, once the display mounting portion 130is extended/lowered into the viewing position, it will swivel under theaction of the spring 164 until it is stopped by the protruding set screw162. Recall that the set screw 162 is adjustable, so that the viewingazimuth can be set to the user's preference as part of the installationor later. In embodiments, the set screw 162 may be quite long andextended so that the selected viewing position is towards the left side,despite the spring 164 and the set screw 162 being located on the rightside. When the wall mount assembly 100 is retracted/raised, theauto-straightening mechanism (the protrusions 152A and 152B, possiblyincluding small wheels, as is described in the '092 patent) overcomesthe force of the spring 164 and straightens the TV 110 so that is can beheld evenly against the wall (flat or with a small angle to the front).

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the mechanism forautomatically adjusting the swivel position (azimuth) to the pre-setposition (including the set screw 162, the biasing spring 164, and theposts 180A/180B) is shown on the right side. As a person of averageskill in the art would understand after careful perusal of this documentand the Figures, an analogous mechanism for automatically adjusting theswivel position may be located on the left side, with changesnecessitated by the left-side location. Thus, the small posts 180A/180Bfor attaching the biasing spring (or other means for biasing springattachment) may be located on the left side of the display mountingportion 130 and on the left side of the front bracket 154; and a setscrew may protrude forward from the front of the front surface bracket154 through a hole that is also on the left side of the front surface ofthe front bracket 154.

In embodiments, there are holes on both sides of the front surface ofthe front bracket 154, and the small posts or other means forselectively attaching the biasing spring are also provided on bothsides. The placement of two set screws is illustrated in FIG. 3, whichis a top view of the wall mount assembly 100 with the TV 110 in twopositions: (1) a straightforward position (as would be the case if thepreselected viewing azimuth is center, with no swivel to either side, orwhen retracted flat against the wall); and (2) the right swivelposition. Note a second set screw 166 on the left. It is not used herefor setting the preferred swivel angle for watching the TV 110, but maybe used to limit the swivel to the left, for example, to avoid strikingthe TV 110 against the wall or another obstacle. The installer or theuser may attach the biasing spring on the preferred side, and adjust theset screw on the same or opposite side for the desired swivel position.(Recall that with sufficient length of the operative set screw, the setscrew and the biasing spring may be used, in some embodiments, foreither side viewing, as has been described above.) Note also nuts 163Aand 163B, attached on the inner side of the front surface of frontbracket 154; these nuts are threaded and may be considered as the partsof the threaded portions of the front bracket 154, as has already beenmentioned above. Again, other techniques of adjusting the length of theprotruding portion of the set screw may be used as well, on either orboth sides.

The mechanism for automatically adjusting the swivel position describedso far employs a coil spring operating in a tension mode. Inembodiments, however, the biasing spring may operate in a compressionmode. For example and referencing FIG. 2, a compression mode spring maybe located on the left side, instead of the illustrated tension modebiasing spring 164 shown on the right side. Moreover, the biasing springneed not be a coil spring; it may be a leaf spring, a V-spring, atorsion spring, a volute spring, a gas spring, or another type ofspring. In fact, a rubber band may be used, for example, substituted forthe tension biasing spring 164. Other devices that apply force (e.g.,pulling, pushing) may also be used.

In embodiments, the wall mount assembly 100 may include a remote controlunit and a receiver of the remote control unit connected to the linearactuator 150, to allow the user remotely to extend/lower the display(e.g., the TV 110) to the viewing position and/or retract/raise thedisplay to the storage position near the wall above the fireplace. Theremote control unit may communicate with the receiver using, forexample, radio frequency (RF) signals, infrared (IR) signals, andultrasound signals. Through the remote control unit, the user canselectively power the linear actuator 150 to cause it to extend,extending and lowering the display into the viewing position; and toretract, retracting and raising the display into the storage positionnear the wall. Note that the auto-straightening mechanism willautomatically position the display evenly against the wall when thedisplay is retracted/raised; and the mechanism for automaticallyadjusting the swivel position will automatically set the display in thepreset swivel angle (preset with the set screw 162) when the display isextended/lowered. Thus, the user may not need to get up to adjust theswivel position after the display is lowered.

For the convenience of viewing, the wall mount assembly 100 may beconfigured so that in the fully extended configuration the TV 110 isangled forward (top of the TV 100 is further away from the wall), forexample, between 8 and 18 degrees; and in the fully retractedconfiguration the TV 110 is angled slightly forward, for example between0 and 5 degrees.

The embodiments shown in the Figures and described in connection withthe Figures include a linear actuator. As a person skilled in the artwould understand after careful perusal of this document and the Figures,the mechanism for automatically adjusting azimuth may be used inembodiments without linear actuators, i.e., manually operated wall mountassemblies. As a person skilled in the art would also understand aftercareful perusal of this document and the Figures, the mechanism forautomatically adjusting azimuth may be used in embodiments that do notinclude manual springs for extending/retracting the displays, i.e.,embodiments where an actuator is used without gas springs; theseembodiments may need to include a second linear actuator or a largersingle actuator, to provide sufficient force for lifting the display.The inventor also contemplates embodiments with a single gas spring,with or without a linear actuator. More generally, the featuresdescribed throughout this document may be present individually or in anycombination or permutation, except where the presence or absence ofspecific elements/limitations is inherently required, explicitlyindicated, or otherwise made clear from the context. Not everyillustrated element is necessarily required in every embodiment inaccordance with the concepts described in this document, while someelements that have not been specifically illustrated may be desirable insome embodiments in accordance with the concepts.

This document describes in detail the inventive wall mount assemblies.This was done for illustration purposes and, therefore, the foregoingdescription and the Figures are not necessarily intended to limit thespirit and scope of the invention(s) described. Neither the specificembodiments of the invention(s) as a whole, nor those of its (or their,as the case may be) features necessarily limit the general principlesunderlying the invention(s). The specific features described herein maybe used in some embodiments, but not in others, without departure fromthe spirit and scope of the invention(s) as set forth herein. Variousphysical arrangements of components and various step sequences also fallwithin the intended scope of the invention(s). Many additionalmodifications are intended in the foregoing disclosure, and it will beappreciated by those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art that in someinstances some features will be employed in the absence of acorresponding use of other features. The embodiments described above areillustrative and not necessarily limiting, although they or theirselected features may be limiting for some claims. The illustrativeexamples therefore do not necessarily define the metes and bounds of theinvention(s) and the legal protection afforded the invention(s).

What is claimed is: 1-23. (canceled)
 24. A mounting device, comprising:a wall mounting portion configured to couple to a wall; a displaymounting portion configured to carry a display; and anextending/contracting portion between the wall mounting portion and thedisplay mounting portion and configured to allow the display mountingportion to move up and toward the wall and to move down and away fromthe wall, the extending/contracting portion including: anadjustably-extending component configured to set a predetermined azimuthposition of the display mounting portion, and a biasing componentconfigured to cause the display mounting portion to rotate to apredetermined azimuth position when the display mounting portion ismoved away from the wall, wherein the biasing component allows theadjustably-extending component to cause the display mounting portion tomove from the predetermined azimuth position toward a position parallelto the wall when the display mounting portion is moved toward the wall.25. The mounting device of claim 24, wherein the extending/contractingportion is configured to rotate the display mounting portion about anazimuth axis in a first direction as the display mounting portion ismoved toward the wall, and wherein the extending/contracting portion isconfigured to rotate the display mounting portion about the azimuth axisin a second direction as the display mounting portion is moved away fromthe wall, wherein the second direction is generally opposite the firstdirection.
 26. The mounting device of claim 24, wherein theadjustably-extending component includes a front mounting bracket and theadjustably-extending component coupled to the front mounting bracket soas to contact and position the display mounting portion when the displaymounting portion is moved vertically.
 27. The mounting device of claim24, further comprising at least one vertical rod rotatably coupling thedisplay mounting portion to the extending/contracting portion such thatthe display mounting portion swivels horizontally toward and away froman end of the adjustably-extending component.
 28. The mounting device ofclaim 24, wherein the adjustably-extending component includes a threadedmember that engages a threaded hole in the extending/contracting portionsuch that rotation of the threaded member adjusts the predeterminedazimuth position.
 29. The mounting device of claim 24, wherein theadjustably-extending component comprises a set screw configured toengage a threaded hole of the extending/contracting portion, wherein alength of a portion of the set screw protruding from the threaded holecan be adjusted by rotating the set screw.
 30. The mounting device ofclaim 24, wherein the adjustably-extending component comprises aselected peg of a plurality of pegs each insertable into a hole, wherethe selected peg is inserted into the hole to define a variable lengthof the adjustably-extending component protruding through the hole,thereby adjusting the predetermined azimuth position.
 31. The mountingdevice of claim 24, wherein the biasing component includes an elasticband or a spring.
 32. The mounting device of claim 24, wherein thebiasing component is configured to provide a biasing force based on therelative position between the display mounting portion and theextending/contracting portion.
 33. The mounting device of claim 24,wherein the biasing component includes a spring coupled to the displaymounting portion and coupled to the extending/contracting portion.
 34. Amounting device, comprising: a wall mounting portion configured to becouple to a wall; a display mounting portion configured to hold adisplay; an extending and contracting mechanism coupled to the displaymounting portion and the wall mounting portion, the extending andcontracting mechanism being configured to move the display mountingportion up and toward the wall and to move the display away from thewall; and an azimuth biasing device configured to rotate the displaymounting portion to a predetermined azimuth position when the displaymounting portion moves away from the wall, wherein the display mountingportion moves away from the predetermined azimuth position and toward aposition parallel to the wall when the display mounting portion moves upand toward toward the wall.
 35. The mounting device of claim 34, whereinthe extending and contracting mechanism includes a threaded memberconfigured to contact a component of the mounting device to set thepredetermined azimuth position.
 36. The mounting device of claim 34,wherein the extending and contracting mechanism comprises a set screwconfigured to engage a threaded hole of the extending and contractingmechanism, wherein a length of a portion of the set screw protrudingfrom the threaded hole can be adjusted by rotating the set screwrelative to the threaded hole.
 37. The mounting device of claim 34,wherein the azimuth biasing device includes an elastic band or a spring.38. The mounting device of claim 34, wherein the azimuth biasing deviceis configured to provide a biasing force based on a configuration of themounting device.
 39. The mounting device of claim 34, wherein theazimuth biasing device includes a spring coupled to the display mountingportion and coupled to the extending and contracting mechanism.
 40. Themounting device of claim 34, wherein the azimuth biasing device biasesthe display mounting portion toward a set element such that the displaymounting portion contacts the set element, thereby positioning thedisplay mounting portion at the predetermined azimuth position.
 41. Themounting device of claim 34, wherein the display mounting portionswivels horizontally to the predetermined azimuth position by theazimuth biasing device.
 42. The mounting device of claim 34, wherein thedisplay mounting portion rotates away from the predetermined azimuthposition when the display mounting portion moves up and toward the wall.